Defy

Chapter 11

Author Notes: Hmmm now what happens now? Uno knows more about Jyugo, and Musashi, and now he has to adjust to that knowledge...as well as his own feelings~ I sense something spicy! I don't own Nanbaka.

3rd P.O.V

By the time Uno had made his way back to his cell night had fallen, with Hajime doing his final rounds. He gave a cold stare towards the cheeky Uno but said nothing as he watched his prisoner waltz back into his little home away from home.

"Don't try any shit tonight Number 11." Nico and Rock were already fast asleep, it had been a long day for them. While Uno and Musashi had their private discussion Mitsuru dragged everyone around.

From painting the walls of the new game room, to moving furniture, to making online purchases, he put them to work. At the rate things were going, the game room should be up and running within two weeks when all the goodies are supposed to arrive. "So how was Mitsuru's little errand."

Of course Jyugo was still awake, waiting for him. A small smile on his lips. "Errand?" There was a knowing look on Jyugo's face, he wasn't stupid, he knew exactly where his friend had been.

But he still went along with the ploy, letting Uno play dumb. "Yeah Mitsuru said he had asked you, Kenshirou and Musashi to go pick up some things for him while we were busy. How'd it go?" Uno sighed in relief. It seemed Mitsuru was one step ahead of him, he already had a good cover.

"It went well, a few hiccups, but good overall." He'd had to remember to thank him later. Jyugo sighed, turning her gaze towards the barred window, embracing the moonlight warming her skin.

Uno's breath hitched at the sight. "A-Aki?" It was a slip of the tongue, but he didn't regret calling out her true name. Jyugo took a sharp intake of oxygen, not prepared to hear his other name. "Don't call me that Uno!" He hissed, glancing at the shadows lying beyond their cell.

Elf was still out there. "It's a beautiful name." Despite his paranoia the cross dresser blushed, feeling more flustered than he wanted to be. It's been years since someone truly acknowledged her as Her.

"It's not safe." He remained himself though, keeping composure as he retorted his friends' statement. "When has it ever been safe for you? How long have you been living as Jyugo?" The raven haired convict bit his lip in thought.

Technically it wasn't against his promise to answer that question, but he was still hesitant. Should he really be doing this? Uno clearly seemed at ease with the recent discoveries, humming a small tune as he undid his braid for the night.

Still waiting for him to respond, and knowing the stupid, stubborn brit he'd be waiting all night if he had to. "Almost seven years...although I really haven't changed that much personality wise." There it was...her voice was softer, more feminine.

Jyugo took the backseat as Aki was now sitting in front of Uno. "But you call yourself Jyugo, and wear those shackles on your body 24/7." She nods, not at all concerned as he came closer.

"Because Jyugo is a prisoner who can't get these shackles off, no matter how much he wants to. They symbolize his situation, of how no matter where he goes, he will never truly be free." Her statement left her companion confused, he was trying to decipher her words.

Did she see herself as two separate entities? "Jyugo is a wolf in sheep's clothing, someone created to protect Aki. He's not talented at anything but breaking out of jail, yet just by existing, Aki is safe and alive."

Her fingers reach towards her left eye, covering it. "Everything you knew up until now was about him. But in the end, he's not real, not completely. Everything you see here is all him, and soon he will return, acting as if this conversation never happened." She gives him a small sad smile, noting that Uno finally understood.

"You literally took on another life. It's almost like you have a split personality. A fake one." Her smile grew a bit bigger. "Yeah, I guess that's the best way to describe it...but you're making it hard for us to stay separated. You're making Aki and Jyugo seem like we're one and the same."

She stopped herself, not wanting to finish her statement. By discovering her secret, and swearing to help her while accepting her and Jyugo, he was making them share thoughts and feelings. Making both of them feel important.

Soon Jyugo would no longer be a separate role, disappearing while merging with Aki. "The only things that I can see that are different are the skills you possess and your gender. Nothing else has really changed." She didn't want to hear that. Not after all this time.

"No! Jyugo and Aki needs to stay separate. They need to..." Quickly the young girl covered her mouth, feeling embarrassed for her outburst and glanced towards their sleeping inmates, relieved to find both of them still lost to their dreams.

Sighing slightly her hands fell back down, keeping her voice quiet. "I was never supposed to come back out here Uno. The only person that needed to be here was Jyugo! He had to be the only person that mattered! If Jyugo won the tournament that would've been guaranteed!"

Aki hated herself, not that she would ever admit it, but she did. Even though it's been years since her dad's death she couldn't stop the hatred within her soul and blame herself for all the problems that occurred. She especially blamed herself for Mu-Zen going through all this with her.

"What would you have won?" Her face wrinkled as she glared at him, he was ignoring her statements, trying to continue treating them as one and the same. "...surgery. Jyugo would've asked the doctor for a secret private surgery so that Jyugo could be real. So Aki could finally go away."

He pounced, arms wrapped tight around her small frame, making her gasp and panic. "Let me go!" Harshly she whispered in his ear, keeping control of her volume while struggling in his grip.

But he refused to budge, keeping her close. "I'm glad we lost then." His words made her still, freezing in place. "Why?! I don't want to be here Uno. I want to be Jyugo. Jyugo's stronger, and he's closer to you then I ever could be." Warm fingers release her body, but only for a second, reaching instead for her cheeks.

Uno kept her in place and forced her to look at his clear blue eyes. "Because Aki is just as important. For the longest time I wondered why you kept your distance from everyone. Why you always looked so lonely. If you went through with surgery I would've never been able to truly understand."

His gaze softened, his blue nail gently tracing over her face. "I care about you. Jyugo, Aki, regardless of your name and past, you're important to me." Her heart was ready to burst as tears began to form.

"I-don't- do this to me Uno. I can't-" Nimbly his fingers smoothed her black and red locks. His words and touch was breaking through all the defenses both Jyugo and Aki had. She had to get away.

Before it was too late. So she fought him again, but he had no intentions of letting go. Not now or ever. "I'll call you whatever you want, I'll do whatever it takes to help you. Just let me in. Stop holding all these burdens and pain by yourself."

Her will was strong, but his was stronger as she lost her sight due to her tears while she collapsed into his hold. "Please..." For so long she had wanted to hear this...but she couldn't. "I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere." It was then he was unable to control his emotions any longer.

"Un-mmph!?" His mouth closed over hers, and heat spread throughout her entire body. "I love you." His voice was low, meant for her ears only before pulling her gently into another kiss. Shattering the last of Aki's security system wrapped around her heart.

Closing her eyes she leaned against him, fully submitting to his affections. "Uno." There truly was no going back for either of them now, their kissing continued a little longer into the night. Eventually Aki's eyes began to flutter as exhaustion took root.

Uno carefully moved, laying them both down under the sheets. He held her body close to his, his beloved on the brink of falling unconscious. "I hate how much I love you." She falls asleep within moments of uttering that statement, unaware of the red blush that dawned Uno's cheeks and loving smile on his mouth.

Unable to fight the wave of happiness Uno closed his eyes, resting his chin on her head. The two of them finally finding some peace within their hearts. They weren't sure what would happen tomorrow, but they were prepared to face it together.

to be continued

Author Notes: Squeeee fluff~ *throws hearts and sparkles in the air* Ohhh i'm dying from this. Ahem, for those confused by the chapter. Jyugo is a persona or different identity Aki made, treating it as a separate person, much like a split personality.

Whenever Jyugo is in control, he is a criminal that is a master escape artist, that has been arrested and sent to prisons all around the world, who one day found himself wearing shackles attached to his limbs. Constantly hiding his emotions and worries from those he loves.

But when it's Aki, she is a smart, educated girl who is still a master escape artist who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect those precious to her and is more open with her feelings. Much like Yin and Yang, the two are opposites in the physical and emotional sense.

However Uno sees them as one, caring deeply for both qualities of Jyugo and Aki as a whole. Sorry if this was confusing up until now, but I always found concepts like this interesting and wanted to play it out to the best of my ability.

Next chapter crap goes down, not sure how but i'll enjoy it none the less! Thank you all so much for reading and please feel free to fav/follow/review if you like this series so far. Tchao for now.